Washboard



f; whlch,

Patented Jan. l, 1924.

, NE1L D. LENNER, or AKRON, omo.

ArNro FFlcE.

WASHBOARD.

To all whommag/rcoffioem:

Be it known that I, NE1L D. LENNER', a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wasliboards, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates tocertain new and useful improvements in the construction of washboards 'of i that general character which, are provided with rubber rubbing surfaces, and the primary object of the inventionis toprovide an effective and inexpensive means for anchoring or securing the rubber rubbing surface to the washboard frame in such a manner that there is no possibility of the rubbing surfacebecoming accidentally detached or displacedl when the washboard is in use.

The idea of providing a washboard' with a rubber rubbingsurface is not broadly new,-

and while such a rubbing surface has many distinct advantages over the usualV zinc ,or sheet metal rubbing surface, the difliculty in anchoring the rubber rubbing-surface to the framev without resorting ,to comparatively expensive expedients has made the manufacture of such washboards'too vcostly for the rubber faced washboard to compete commerciallywithv thef well known' metal faced washboard. This difficulty ,is over-l come by the present invention, which provides a simple,y Vinexpensive land efficient means .for securing a rubber rubbing surface to theframe of a washboard.

It may be stated' that a rubbing surface of some yieldable material, such as rubber, has been found to be'very satisfactory and effective in washing clothes and fabrics.` The.' rubber presentsla slightly yieldingrubbing.

surface which tends to frictionally engage the fabricandto actY uponthe same in the necessary manner to loosen and remove the dirt without causing any unnecessary or undue'wear upon the fabric. A further advantage over the metal rubbing surface is that there is not the same possibility that a jagged edge may be unexpectedly presented aty any time; in such a ymanner as to tear theabric or mutilate'the hands.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference -is to be had to the .following description and accompanying drawings, in

Figure l -is a perspective view of a washboard constructed in accordance Y with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the soap rest and adjacent portions of the backboard and rubbing 4surface, showing the manner of anchoring the rubbing surface to the washboard frame;

Figure' is'an enlarged perspective view Y of one of the metal clipsrwhich is utilized in securing the upper and lower edges of the rubbing surface to thebackboard portions of the supporting frame. n

Figure 4e is a detached plan view of the upper portion of the rubbing surface andKV the corresponding ends of the backboards, showing the manner of attaching the rubbing surface to the ends vof the backboards.

A Figure' 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional viewthrough the'lower'cross bar and adjacent portions of the backboard and rubbing surface, showing 'theIV manner of anchoring the lower end of the rubbing surfaceto the washboard frame.

Correspondingand like parts are referred i to in the following description and indicated on all of the views of the drawingsby like reference characters. v f I Referring to the dra wingswhich illustrate 'onefof ina-ny possible kembodiments ofthe invention, the numerals 1 designatethe side being Vconnected at their 'upper ends by the cross piece 2 andY at apoint spacedfrom theirlower ends by the crossbar 3. The lower end portions 1a of the 'side bars ex tend downwardly below the crossY bar 3 and provide the usualf'legs for supporting the washboard in position when itis in use.V

The soap rest 4' connects'the side bars l at an intermediate point,"and a brand'board 5A is ittedlinA position between the said.; soap rest andthe upper cross barV 2, while the .B5 lbars of-the washboard frame, said sidebars vbacklfioards 6 are ittedinA position between the soap rest and the lower "cross bar 3, thereby l completing the supporting;` frame for the rubbing surface. The upper edgel of the soap rest 4 is provided-with a groovey 7 to receive the lower edge of the brand board 5, and the other edges of thebran'd board may be fitted in similar grooves in the upper cross bar VQ-and side bars 1, in amanner which is common and wellfknownfin the construction of washboards- The lower edge of the soap rest 4 and upper edge of the lower cross bar 3 are grooved, as indicated at 8, to receive the reduced ends 6 of the backboar'd's 6 and the ends of the rubber rubbing surface 9. The side bars l are also provided upon their inner faces with ,the usual longitudinally extending grooves l0 which receive the vertical edge portions Vof the backboards and rubber rubbing surface 9. The upper and lower cross bars 2 and B and the soap rest 4 may be broadly referred to as the cross members of the frame.

rIlhe rubbing surface Ais formed of some slightly yielding material, such as rubber, andthe working surface thereof is suitably roughened. 'Ifhe manner of accomplishing this result is not material to the invention, and the roughened portion of the rubbing surface may be of any usual or suitable configuration, although for illustrative purposes the rubbing surface is shown as provided with a series of transversely extending ribs 9a, which are substantially V shaped in cross section. The material for the rubbing surface can Vbe produced in large sheets which are subsequently cut up into smaller parts of the appropriate size for use in the manufacture of these washboards. This in itself is a feature which greatly decreases .the cost of manufacture, since it is much f cheaper to produce the rubber rubbingsurfaces in this manner than by molding or manufacturing .the rubbing surfaces forthe Washboards individually,V as is necessary where the edge portions of the rubbing surface Vhave a flangedi or special construction adapted for use in securing the rubbing surface to the washboard frame.

The rubbing surface 9 is cut from a large sheet'o'f material and is of the proper size to lit over the backboards 6, so that it willL be substantially ro-extensive with the frontV surface of the bacl'boards', and the edge portions of the rubbing surface will be received withinthe grooves lof the soap rest Y4, lower cross bar 8 and side barsf l. Certain edge portions of thev rubbing surface, in the present instance, thefupper and lower edge portions thereof, are securely .anchored to the .corresponding edges of the'backboardsY 6 by means-,of metal clips l1. These clips lare preferably formed of some metal such vas copper which ywill not readily rust or cor- Y rode, and they are shown as having a chan.-V

nel shaped formation, so that they are seated 1n the grooves of cross members of ythe frame vand embrace the adjacent edges of the back- V*board andY rubbing surface.' YThe outside v' flange lla'of each'of the metal clips l-l is preferably given a curved or hooked formation, 'as indicated quite clearly by 'Figures `vQ -tand., so that it will interlock with one of Y:the ribs 9? of theI rubber rubbing surface andftend to .firmly grip the rubberA The 'instal clip may beof any'A desired length and1 to the frame'.

either one metal clip or a series of the metal clips may be utilized, as desired. As indicated by Figure 4, the backboard is formed in three sections and there is one of they metal clips for each of the backboard sections. The metal clips can be readily applied tothe rubbing surface and backboards e of vthe supporting frame before the said elements are inserted in the side bars and cross vineniber's of the iframe. After the washboard parts have been finally assembled, the

clips 11 are firmly seated in the bases of the and there Yis no necessity of molding or forrning the rubbing surfaces for the differentwashboards individually, as is necessary with those yrubbing surfaces which have specially constructed edgeportions. I

The portion of the soap rest 4 which projects forwardlyr from the brand board is preferably constructed in such a way as to ldrai-n over the front of the rubbing surface., For this'purpose I have shown theVV soap rest as provided at the top thereof with a longitudinal-ly 'extending gutter -l 2,the lbase', of the lgutter communicatinggwith drain openings 13 which extend parallel to the rubbing sur;

face and dlischarge'at the top of the rubbing j surface.V i While Ihaveillustrated and described one particular embodiment ofrrmy wasfhboa'rd`in-V vention in detail, it will beunderstood that I do' not vrestrict nay-self tothe exact'construction shown, since rn-any n-iodications and changes are possiblegin the detaillsof construction within the scope ofthe claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claimras new andldesiretosecurefbyLety ters Patent is, I Y Y n l. In a washboard,"the conibination`with a frame rubber rubbing surface, ofY

metalV clips for securing the rubbing surface i 2Q In a washfboard, the combination with a frame 'and a rubber rubbing surface,fof

metal clips having vjaw portions for engag-0 Ving the rubber andlother portions engaging the frame to'anchorthe rubbing surfaflz'eV to thefrarnerV Y n M 3; In a'washboard, the combination with' a frame and a rubber rubbing surface, of

channel shaped cli-ps 'embracing edgepor-i tions 4of the Vrubber land fortions of the frame for anchoring tlieru bingsurface to the Vframe.

4. In a washboard, the combinatiou'with a frame and a rubber rubbing surface, of channel shaped clips engaging portions of the frame and having hook shaped flanges which grip edge portions of the rubber to secure the rubbing surface in position.

5. In a Washboard, the combination with a frame including a backboard, a rubber rubbing surface fitting against the backboard, and channel shaped clips embracing edge portions of the backboard and rubbing surface to anchor the rubbing surface to the frame.

6. In a Washboard, the combination With a frame including a backboard and grooved members receiving edges of the baokboard, a rubber rubbing surface tted against the backboard, and clip members having gripping elements engaging the rubber rubbing surface and portions fitting in the grooves and held in position therein by the backboard.

7. In a Washboard, the combination withV bracing edge portions of the backboard and rubbing surface, said clips being clamped in position between the backboard and Walls of the grooves and being formed with javv portions which grip the rubbing surface to hold the same in position.

9. In a Washboard, the combination With a frame including a backboard and grooved members receiving edges of the backboard, a rubber rubbing surface tted against the baokboard, and metal clips fitted upon edge portions of the backboard and received Within the grooves of the frame, said clips comprising jaw portions which engage the rubbing surfaceV to hold the latter in position.

l0. In a Washboard, the combination of a frame, a rubbing surface, and metal clips carried by the frame and having portions gripping the rubbing surface to hold the latter in position.

11. In a Washboard, the combination of a support comprising a plurality of grooved retaining members, a rubber rubbing surface formed With projecting portions, and

metal clips having portions which are entered in the grooves of the retaining members and also having hooked portions which i engage and grip'projecting portions of the rubbing surface to hold the latter in position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

NEIL D. LENNER. 

